The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Portugal

Few resorts have as much on offer as Vila Vita Parc, which is one of the rare properties that cater to a large number of people, including families, but manages to feel peaceful and private. With an impressive 10 restaurants—including one with two Michelin stars—plus six bars, a golf course, and a Sisley spa, there’s enough to keep you occupied for a fortnight. Guests can choose from ocean or garden-view rooms, one-bedroom or family-sized, and even rooftop suites. Exteriors are unmistakably Portuguese, with whitewashed walls and blue accents throughout, but what really stands out here is the amount of space available to guests. While the resort welcomes all visitors, it’s undoubtedly a family-friendly property, with a Kids’ Club, on-site playground, and crèche available to look after babies from six months. There are six pools throughout the property and endless green space for young ones to enjoy. They share it with local birdlife, which lives on-site and makes for wonderful spotting opportunities for adults and kids alike.

A sleepy village overlooking a beach pounded by Atlantic waves doesn’t scream child-friendly destination—yet under-the-radar Santa Cruz, north of Lisbon, has quickly established itself among in-the-know parents. That’s in no small part due to this hip eco-hotel designed by the couple behind gorgeous Areias do Seixo a few miles away. Noah exhibits the same artistic flair but with a more industrial aesthetic. Rooms are in the main house or boxy wood-clad bungalows, their roofs tufted with grass, and kids love the bunks suspended by cables with rope ladders. Teens roam between the skatepark and chill-out room with its table football, or commandeer the hot tub while adults take a deep inhale of salty air from the daybeds around the pool. The ocean beckons as soon as the sun rises, but only the most dedicated surfer would miss breakfast with eggs from the resident chickens.

If conditions are too rough off Santa Cruz’s 11 beaches, head north to buzzing Peniche, or south to pretty Ericeira, some of the best beaches in Portugal. For supper there are two options: the restaurant offers twists on local classics such as Ibérico pork pica pau with spices, and Noah Beach House, right on the sand, is big on seafood. In terms of design, bare bricks and chunky furniture are offset by fishing nets, octopus traps, even an upturned boat—this artful flotsam and jetsam reflects a determination to repurpose. Sustainability extends beyond the styling: instead of air-conditioning, thick walls keep rooms cool; rain water is collected and food composted; 70% of energy for hot water is generated by solar power; and everyone is given metal water bottles to reuse. This is somewhere to teach kids good environmental practice, as well as surfing. The modern way to holiday.

Tapping into the barefoot, salty-haired vibe of Portugal’s coolest holiday destination used to be an exercise in knowing the right people. The best beach shacks were privately owned, and only for friends of friends. Now though, in addition to a number of new hotel openings, the top spots can be infiltrated. This low-slung six-bedroom villa, right behind the high dunes of Pêgo beach in Comporta, is as close as you can get to having your toes in the water. Olive groves and wild pines surround three separate cabanas—ideal for giving grandparents or older siblings a bit of space—that are linked by sandy pathways; there’s no need to bring shoes. Inside, floors are smooth polished concrete and sun-bleached driftwood informs the styling. And while the kitchen is fully kitted out, the house is within walking distance of the gorgeous Sal Beach Club, to which the whole family can decamp for long lunches.

Eight years in the making, this project—a self-sustaining quinta set in the dusty hills of Odemira in the Alentejo—has finally come to fruition. The founding trio—lawyer Pedro Franca Pinto and João Canilho and Luís Capinha, owners of gorgeous Casa Amora guesthouse in Lisbon—became fixated with the idea of communal living, of forging a place where families could get up close to nature and experience the workings of a modern-day farm. Their rambling, village-like set-up offers exactly that. Whitewashed houses are clustered around courtyards, with simple wooden terraces for watching fiery sunsets; inside, they’re light and bright, with jolts of color (a mustard armchair, a navy Hästens bedframe) and slate kitchens for stashing eggs fresh from the hen coop. Rooms are just a bicycle-pedal from the main house, with its curving walls that offer shelter from the Atlantic breeze and a huge pool where children can splash and parents can snooze on loungers. Interiors are cool and contemporary: beneath undulating ceilings are Nordic-style tables, on which breakfasts of charcuterie and soft cheeses, lemon cake, and sun-sweetened nectarines are served next to the open fireplace. The buttery suede sofas are less forgiving of sticky fingers, but once the kids are in bed, it’s a great spot for a nightcap, in reach of the help-yourself bar and some very drinkable honey liqueur. Supper is pulled straight from the vegetable patch and whipped up by Portuguese grandmothers: chilled melon and garlic soup, black pork with tangy tomato bread, rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon. Even the Vicentino Alvarinho, from the nearby winery, is a love affair with local living. As is the cork that lines the sauna—the sleek concrete spa is a beauty, with a hammam lit by burnished copper lanterns—and the logs that carpet the entrance. Sustainability runs through Craveiral’s veins: rainwater is collected and filtered; old trees become fuel for wood-burning stoves. A stay here is delightful—a place where children can ride horses by day and then sleep with nothing but an open door and a billowing curtain between them and the great outdoors.

Tranquillity is easy to find in Portugal’s Alentejo countryside, but nowhere feels quite as special as this little rural escape. More than just a luxury hotel, São Lourenço is also a working winery, olive grove, and farm in Portugal's wild, sun-bleached Alentejo region. All of the rooms are accessed from the cobbled courtyard and have been converted from former stables. The low-lying exterior is beautifully photogenic, and it would surely be impossible to wander through here in the late afternoon sun without feeling inspired. There are two restaurants—one indoor and one outdoor. Understandably, there’s a strong farm-to-table ethos when it comes to dining in both. For the past 200 years, the estate has been producing its own food and goods—including cereals, olive oil, wine, and meat—and little has changed now (in fact, the olive oil in particular is memorable for its buttery, smooth texture—and yes, you can pick up a bottle to take home).

While this is an escape that’s made for relaxation, the hotel has ensured there’s plenty to do; whether that’s a horseback ride through the 780 hectares of land, a morning spent with the property’s beekeeper, Fabio, who gently introduces guests to his five hives with utter care, or simply a bicycle ride on one of the free-to-use bikes. There are two swimming pools (one of which is a smaller, toddler-friendly option) and seemingly endless space for young ones to run around with abandon while adults watch happily from the sidelines.

Built for a wealthy family in the 1940s by influential Portuguese architect Raul Lino, this white-on-white estate—high on a cliff in the old seaside village of Azenhas do Mar—lay abandoned for 15 years until it was modishly revived by its German owner Chris Kraus a few years ago. Outpost is now a collection of six cool, clean-lined apartments set in a tropical garden staring vertiginously down to the Atlantic Ocean, while the midnight-green forests of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park creep up behind. They showcase Lino’s pared-down vision and love of space and simplicity. Most have views on at least two sides, plus polished-concrete worktops and exposed ceiling joists. Original terracotta tiles, stone fireplaces, and robust, locally made wooden furniture give the place an air of rugged refinement (and parents a sense of relief that there’s nothing too obvious for the children to smash). The Ocean Saloon is the pick of the bunch, with glass doors looking out to a private terrace and roaring, in-your-face sea views. Wool rugs in block-colored stripes, an oval ceramic bath, and a swirling sculptural pendant lamp—designed by Kraus in the style of Le Klint—add character.

In summer, the hotel is filled with fresh-faced, outdoorsy European families. A shared tennis and basketball court, gym, swimming pool, spa, and store cupboard stocked with skateboards, games, and yoga mats keep everyone on their toes, meaning young ones are adequately exhausted by bedtime. Surfing is a way of life in these parts, and the practically private beach—a minute’s walk from the garden gate—offers sheltered waves suitable for the youngest budding boarders. Massages and fitness classes can be arranged, as can childcare—especially useful for a quick grown-ups-only day trip to Lisbon (about 45 minutes away). But with its hypnotic scenery and soothing, stripped-back interiors, it’s easy to stay put at this crazy-good value hangout. There’s no restaurant on site, but a breakfast basket can be arranged and lunch and supper easily called in from the delightful Café das Patrícias nearby.

Built in 1910 for the king, who frequently came to take the waters at this natural spa in Portugal's far north, this grand palace has long outlived the monarchy for whom it was intended. New life has been breathed into Vidago Palace a century later, with rooms emerging clad in dazzling De Gournay hand-painted silk wallpapers, all cherry blossom and flowers, the bar lined with leather, and the spectacular staircase topped by gilded ceilings. The Belle Epoque exterior in pretty-as-a-picture pink will make little hearts race, while adventurers will love exploring the gardens, the caves, and the lakes. All will fall in love with Mirandês Figueiro, the hotel donkey. Thankfully for younger ones, food is more rustic than palatial with dishes such as douradinhos (fish fingers in disguise), and no one will bat an eyelid at requests for more sprinkles on the ice cream. The strikingly modern spa is an architectural anomaly designed by Pritzker-winning Alvaro Siza Vieira, its soaring walls jutting out from the original building. Inside all is minimalist and marble. But perhaps the biggest surprise of all are the treatments for children, including splash-about Vichy showers and drinking small cups of the thermal water—just as the king did all those years ago.

If your frazzled teenagers are in need of sunshine and downtime after exam exhaustion, consider this whitewashed farmhouse in the Algarve. Pensao Agricola is surrounded by green meadows that are home to snoozy cows and Ernesto the donkey (soon to be joined by a wife amidst plans for an equine dynasty). The six bedrooms are all different and all charming, in a sun-dappled rustic sort of way. Three are in the main house, but if you want a bit more crashing-around space, choose from the other three in the former stables and outhouses. Each of these has its own terrace, where chairs and cushions are laid out for lounging.

Parents should grab the Páteo Suite, which has a tiny sitting room facing a courtyard and fountain, and a bedroom filled with artwork. The rain showers are lit naturally by skylights, there's springtime almond blossom by the bathroom sinks, and the polished-concrete floors have underfloor heating for chillier weather. Furniture is a smart mix of antique and retro, and you'll spot little piles of books everywhere (Portuguese authors in translation).

Housekeepers Barbara and Maria stir up dishes inspired by the childhood recipes of owners Nuno Ramos and Rui Liberato de Sousa, including salt cod with layers of sweet potatoes and fig ice cream. There is a small heated pool, dining tables hiding among lemongrass and lavender bushes, and an honesty bar on top of a wall in the shade of a magnificent olive tree. Deserted beaches, such as Lacém, are a few minutes' drive. Those with urban urges could head to Seville, an hour and a half away, or to nearby Tavira, the Algarve's prettiest town. But actually, why move at all?

Set among the pine forests and sand dunes of Comporta is Sublime, a boutique hotel with idyllic surroundings, first-class hospitality, and an away-from-it-all atmosphere. Understandably, people associate Comporta with the late-sunset beauty of summer, but Sublime is welcoming all-year-round. In fact, the heated floors, freestanding bathtubs, and private terraces feel utterly blissful during the colder months, should you wish to visit off-season. There are three restaurants: Sem Porta is the main affair and serves Algarve pink prawns, lobster rice, and Iberian pork; Tasca da Comporta is a little more casual, focusing on small plates; and Food Circle is a chef’s kitchen in the middle of the property’s organic garden. There’s also a beach club, spa, and on-site herb and vegetable garden. From sunrise on your private deck to chef’s table dinners, everything has been delicately thought out—and you’ll remember the utter relaxation you felt here long after you return home.

This is the antithesis of many people's idea of the Algarve, a tiny gem with crisp white lines on a country hillside far from the coastal crowds. It's the kind of place that feels like it's dropped off the edge of the world, where days comes suffused with heat-induced idleness. Charming Lagos, with its ancient churches and golden coves, is a few miles away, but it's simply too hard to leave the shade of Casa Arte's gnarled olive tree near the swimming pool. Active children can vanish into the large gardens to play when they have wrinkled in the water. The house was built as a private home by an English architect in the late 1970s, so there are only five bedrooms but they're dotted about like dazzling sugar cubes, each one topped with the region's characteristic terracotta shingles and latticed chimney pots. Rounded windows and doorframes punctuate the smooth whitewashed walls. Floors and stairs are sun-burnished polished concrete, with black, white, and gray tiled detail. Simple bedrooms lead into oversized bathrooms—four have showers only—with stone basins, fluffy dressing gowns, Ex Voto Paris ginger and sweet jasmine soaps, and cots are available on request. A couple of rooms interconnect for families, but the savviest gangs hook up with friends and take the whole place. For more options, visit our guide to the best Airbnbs in Portugal.

There is nothing subtle about Conrad Algarve. The Hilton-owned, six-story whopper of a hotel in Almancil is as full throttle as you might expect. But with all that resort-y-ness comes the space for youngsters to wheel around and let off steam and for parents to enjoy candlelit dinners, the brilliant spa (try the Intraceuticals oxygen infusion facial and look 10 years younger) and the excellent golf courses right on the doorstep. Best of all, there is always someone in just the right place to arrange it. The Young Guest Concierge will take children to water polo in the indoor pool, mocktail workshops with Wilson Pires—Portugal's Barman of the Year—dance classes, or the Little C Palace kids' club where they'll learn to make marzipan golf balls. There are princess tea parties, treasure hunts, films for the tweens, and blindfolded ice-cream tastings for everyone. Budding cooks can take sushi-rolling classes with cool Aussie chef Andrew McGie, whose prawn popcorn is a hit at Louro restaurant. Kids can do as much of the organized activity as they want, fine-tuning it day by day.

For a blast of sun, head down past the playground to the largest swimming pool and install the whole brood on the huge day-beds. The poolside Dado restaurant serves giant grilled langoustines, meaty beef burgers, moreish cod-fish fritters, and non-alcoholic drinks such as Something is Missing (lime juice, mint, brown sugar, and apple juice). The food is excellent everywhere, from the tasting menu at Gusto by Heinz Beck (you will want to eat the fagottelli carbonara every day) to afternoon tea in the bar. Those in search of peace and quiet should go to the heated infinity pool that looks out over the countryside. There might not be a sea view, but the Atlantic is just moments away over the sun-bathed, terracotta-tiled roofs of Vale do Lobo.

You’ll find Praia do Canal where the drama of the Atlantic pounds limestone cliffs and surfers dot the waves. This is Portugal’s wild west coast, and the resort sits just inland on its own 500 acres, in a protected spot with scope for exploring. Praia do Canal’s particular beauty lies in its privileged sense of space. There are paths to follow through the forest, bicycles to ride down bumpy tracks to a pebbled beach, and expanses of verdant lawns beyond the seemingly never-ending infinity pool.

The subtle kasbah aesthetic that pervades the airy, modern, and somewhat minimalist rooms is a nod to the Algarve’s Moorish heritage. Two-bedroom family suites lead to lawns inset with private pools so parents can keep a close eye on splashing children. Regional dishes such as codfish and chickpea purée and veal with sweet-potato chips blend vague familiarity with new tastes for young palates (or there’s always wood-fired pizzas), while local products are to the fore for parents: cheeses from Odemira, Serpa, and Evora; the black pork of Barrancos and Estremoz; fish from the sea at the end of the gardens.

Cocktails made with fruit from a strawberry tree at the Medronho Bar and an Elemis-stocked spa with glass walls that appear to melt into the leafy landscape complete the parent-pleasing picture.

Most people flying to Faro rush straight to the coast, to the clipped golf courses of Quinta do Lago, the wide beaches of Vale do Lobo, the hit of dark, chilly Atlantic blue on the horizon of any of the seaside sunspots. It’s a well-trodden path. More interesting, though, is to look the other way, back at the hills, to the farmland, where the manicured lawns and indentikit villas make way for scrubby olive groves and crumbling villages. Moncarapacho is less than half an hour from the airport but a million miles away in essence. Vila Monte has somehow managed to remain a bit of a secret, a mini estate of whitewashed buildings that blend Moorish architecture with Andalusian hacienda style. The grounds are exquisitely pretty: lush gardens; aromatic cypress trees; thick, herbaceous borders; orange and fig trees; ripe fruit weighing down the branches. Inside, the look is Comporta-cool, thanks to Portuguese design maven Vera Iachia: rattan headboards, sisal rugs on stone floors, pergola-shaded terraces casting shadows on day beds. It’s a big enough place that staying put is perfectly possible—there are terrapin-filled ponds, a chef’s table set in the kitchen garden, two pools, a tennis court, a kids’ club, and film nights with popcorn. But there are also trips with a local fisherman to harvest razor clams and oysters (eaten straight away on the boat, washed down with chilled white wine), and adventures exploring the wilder beaches east of Tavira, with their white sand dunes and warm water. At night, after wood-fired thin-crust pizzas and chocolate mousse served from a giant sharing bowl, children run wild across the fairy-lit lawn, collecting carob pods. Back in the room, a plate of freshly baked warm cookies awaits by the bed—a gesture that defines the place rather well.

Muddy-kneed tree climbers will be thrilled at the prospect of sleeping among the leaves and the branches at Pedras Salgadas. Reached by long bridges, these two architecturally astonishing tree houses sit atop 16-foot-high steel stilts between the cedars and pines. The forest hideaways are tiny but brilliantly designed like a yacht's galley, with a sleek kitchenette, smart shower room, pristine blonde wood from top to toe, and high thread count cotton sheets. A huge picture window in front of the main bed looks onto the park where century-old sequoias soar upwards to the blue skies. All around is this silent, ancient landscape where red squirrels chase each other and you might just hear wolves howl from the distant mountains. Explore the treetops via suspension bridges, ropes and nets, cycle along woodland paths, hike around the lake, or for those who want to soak up more than just nature, try the spa with its thermal waters—excellent for both respiratory and digestive problems. The park's location is ideal to visit nearby Chaves and Vila Real. Back within the gates, the Casa de Chá restaurant serves up hearty plates of regional sausages, black pudding, beans, and pork ears with rice. After supper, work it all off with a dip in the outdoor swimming pool before a night high up under the stars.

There is a breezy, Mediterranean feel to this hotel in the seaside town of Castro Marim, despite its proximity to the deep blue Atlantic. Surrounded by a sweet-smelling pine forest, with a path cutting through the trees to the beach, Praia Verde is an untapped family hideaway. Staff are young and friendly; children don't need to be shushed, just scooped up and led to the playroom, where they're helped to make biscuits, or treated to popcorn at the night-time cinema. Interiors are simple and white, with wicker furniture and mosaic-tiled floors. The 40 suites have separate sitting rooms with sofa beds for kids and well-equipped kitchenettes to rustle up meals for fussy eaters. At A Terra restaurant, food follows the same relaxed vibe as the rest of the place: big salads to share, crispy pizzas straight out of the wood-fired oven, and lots of local products from a corner of the Algarve forgotten by many.

There may be a new Martinhal, which opened a few summers ago at Quinta do Lago, but the original property still feels like a blast of fresh air in the Algarve. It's strung out on its own, on a relatively unspoiled and windswept tip of the western coast. There are empty dunes to run down, beaches with thick sand and little fish shacks, and milky waves for surfing. In the two-bedroomed villas, which are connected to the hotel, the design is clear cut, with muted natural tones. There are stair-gates, cots, and plastic plates should you need them, a TV for afternoon quiet time, a mini kitchen to cook in (buy supplies at the on-site supermarket), huge bean bags to flop out on, and sun-trap balconies. There are also handy washing machines, towels aplenty and you can order in takeaway suppers. But the restaurants here are right on point, each one with a designated children's area jam-packed with coloring books and games, all overseen by a smiling member of staff who will remember your child's name. This means that little ones can occupy themselves not just before the food arrives, but also afterwards, so parents can actually linger over lunch (the freshest squid, pumpkin risotto with sage, juicy lamb chops). Plus, there's an excellent juice bar: try the yogurt, vanilla, and fresh ginger smoothie. Days fly by. Bucket-and-spade time; pool time—there are five different ones, star of the show comes with giant floats and slides; kids' club time (sign up in advance as activities such as T-shirt printing get fully booked); and before you know it, bed time. It's all very good fun. Yes, there's a spa, and yes, the views are lovely, but mostly this holiday is about your children. They'll be on a high from beginning to end.

This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK.